Florida House shoots down Fasano health plan

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - A Florida House committee has voted against a plan that would have accepted tens of billions of federal dollars and expanded health coverage to 1.1 million residents under the federal health law.

Republican Rep. Mike Fasano proposed an amendment Monday that he says would improve on the House's anemic proposal that would cover 115,000 residents and rely on $237 million state funds. Fasano's amendment mirrors a Senate proposal by Sen. Joe Negron.

Fasano and angry Democrats begged Republican leaders to put aside politics and accept an estimated $55 billion in federal dollars over the next decade.

Fasano said the current House plan is "inadequate, unaffordable and truly unacceptable."

U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown took a break from Washington to attend and urged lawmakers not to burden Floridians with a double tax.

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